The present invention relates generally to gyroscopic tops and, more particularly, to a toy top with an air impeller-driven flywheel and a spring-latch mechanism which releases an upper portion of the top when an articulated appendage of the spinning top comes into contact with an object.
In the past, different toy gyroscopic tops have been designed such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 99,644 to Coombs on Feb. 8, 1870; 2,148,374 issued to Hogan on Feb. 21, 1939; and 2,736,132 issued to Murray on Feb. 28, 1956. Other gyroscopic toys are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 944,096 issued to Kirby on Dec. 21, 1909; 1,821,940 issued to Hinsen on Sept. 8, 1931; Re. 30,299 reissued to Greenwood on June 10, 1980; 4,400,908 issued to Nomura on Aug. 30, 1983; and 4,556,396 issued to Kennedy et al on Dec. 3, 1985. Tops using air impellors are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 620,151 issued to Kjellen on Feb. 28, 1899; 1,629,135 issued to Vinson on May 17, 1927; and 3,372,511 issued to Smith et al on Mar. 12, 1968. A top using lips around the circumference thereof to inflate a figure mounted on the top is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,278,208 issued to Pruitt on Sept. 10, 1918.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,999 issued to Orlowski on Sept. 3, 1985 discloses a top having a cover which is ejected when the spinning top slows down or centrifugal force is decreased. A pop-up figure is used for the top shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,281,866 issued to Stahl on Oct. 15, 1918. Figure toys having parts that pop-up or eject therefrom are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,277,702 issued to Combes on Sept. 3, 1918; 3,235,259 issued to Glass et al on Feb. 15, 1966; 4,118,888 to Ogawa on Oct. 10, 1978; and 4,125,961 issued to Yamashina on Nov. 21, 1978. Toy hand grenades or detonating devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,367,391 issued to Hofer on Feb. 1, 1921; 1,536,261 issued to Eames on May 5, 1925; 2,897,630 issued to Horowitz et al on Aug. 4, 1959; 3,029,556 issued to Ayala on Apr. 17, 1962; 3,139,697 issued to Mier on July 7, 1964; 3,304,650 issued to Glass et al on Feb. 21, 1967; 3,564,756 issued to Yokoi on Feb. 23, 1971; 3,878,639 issued to Scheelar et al on Apr. 22, 1975; and 4,319,426 issued to Lee on Mar. 16, 1982.
Other toys having parts which are ejected therefrom are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,300,177 issued to Kohn on Apr. 8, 1919; 1,859,100 to Lewis on May 17, 1932; 2,052,841 issued to O'Donnell on Sept. 1, 1936; 3,687,452 issued to Thompson on Aug. 29, 1972; 3,734,500 issued to Cooper on May 22, 1973; and 4,571,197 issued to Kulesza et al on Feb. 18, 1986. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,318 issued to Tsiknopoulos et al on Nov. 18, 1986 shows a figure toy having an upper torso which rotates causing a pair of arms to move upward due to centrifugal force.
None of the above patents discloses a toy top having an air impeller-driven flywheel and a spring-latch mechanism which releases an upper portion of the top when an articulated appendage of the spinning top comes into contact with an object. Accordingly, there is a need in the toy manufacturing arts for such a toy top.